Endoscopy is a technology that allows minimally-invasive viewing of internal features of a body. In medicine, endoscopy allows acquisition of high-quality images of internal features of a human body without the need for invasive surgery. The basic tool of endoscopy is the endoscope (“scope”), which is inserted into the body to be viewed. Some endoscopic procedures involve the use of a flexible scope, as in the medical field of gastroenterology, for example. Other medical procedures, such as arthroscopy or laparoscopy, use a rigid scope. The scope is normally coupled to a high-intensity light source that transmits light into the body through the scope, and to a camera head that includes electronics for acquiring video image data. The camera head is typically coupled to a video monitor, which displays video images acquired by the camera.
In endoscopic surgery, various other medical devices may be used, such as an insufflator to pump pressurized gas into body cavities to create more space for viewing and working, an electrocautery tool to stop bleeding, and/or various tools to cut or shape body tissues. These devices are typically controlled remotely by means such as foot pedals and/or switches placed on the floor of the operating room, which are operated by the surgeon. The foot controls may control functions such as on/off, speed or intensity, direction of movement of the tool, mode of operation, etc. The use of foot controls and the like allows the surgeon to adjust various modes and settings of the tools (e.g., speed, intensity) himself, without having to put a tool down, change hands, touch potentially contaminated surfaces with his hands, or take his eyes off the patient.
First generation foot pedals and other types of remote control consoles typically functioned by relaying command signals, in the form of electrical impulses, over a conductive line or cable that physically connected the remote control console to the device being controlled.
As technology advanced, the remote controllers became wireless, thereby allowing a remote control console to be located anywhere within the operating room without having to run a cable along the floor. Such wireless remote control consoles (hereafter referred to simply as “remote consoles”) are typically configured to communicate wirelessly with a central control unit, which in turn communicates with one or more medical devices that are to be controlled remotely. To ensure the reliability of the wireless communications, and prevent any interference or accidental communication with another nearby wireless device, the remote console is synchronized with the central controller, thereby assuring that the central controller will only acknowledge command signals transmitted by an authorized remote console. The synchronization process typically involves programming the central controller to recognize an identification code that uniquely identifies all wireless communications transmitted by a specific remote console.
One method of pairing or synchronizing a remote console to a central controller involves manually entering a remote console's identification code into the central controller. Some more advanced systems partially automate the synchronization process, whereby the central controller can wirelessly retrieve the identification code of a remote console by, for example, reading an RFID tag or barcode on the console after the console has been placed into a pairing state and brought into proximity of the central controller.
Typical remote consoles are configured to switch off or enter a “sleep” state after a predefined period of inactivity in order to conserve battery power. As a result, when a user wants to synchronize a remote console to a central controller, he or she must first “awaken” or turn on the remote console so that the console can communicate with the central controller and undergo the synchronization process. Typically a remote console is turned on through some form of user interaction, such as, for example, the depressing of one or a sequence of buttons on the remote console.
Alternatively, a remote console may be configured to not turn off but instead enter a “semi-awake” state where the console continues to consume battery power, albeit at a lower level, thereby allowing the remote console to detect the initiation of the synchronization process and subsequently place itself in a full “awake” state. However, according to this later scheme, the remote console continues to draw battery power even when not in use, thereby significantly reducing the battery life of the console.
The safety of traditional remote consoles can also be compromised due to the failure of a user to “break” any previous wireless connections before implementing a new connection. For example, a remote console is synchronized, and thus wirelessly connected, to a first central controller located in a first operating room. A user then relocates the remote console to a second operating room without first disabling or “breaking” the wireless connection between the remote console and the first central controller, which typically is accomplished through some form of user interaction such as the depressing of one or more buttons on the console. A second user, who is unaware that the first central controller in the first operating room remains wirelessly connected to the remote console, may then synchronize the remote console to a second central controller located in the second operating room. As a result, use of the remote console to control one or more medical devices in the second operating room may lead to erroneous control of one or more medical devices located in the first operating room since the first central controller continues to be responsive to the command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console.
Accordingly, what is needed is a remote control console system that can be easily turned on or placed in an “awake” state while requiring either a minimum amount or no user interaction. Also needed is a remote control console system that will reliably and automatically terminate any previous wireless connections before a new wireless connection is established.